LOUD is looking for high school and college artists who would like to showcase their artwork for a special exhibition during Hispanic Heritage Month at the LOUD Gallery, 835 West Badger Rd. Participating students will have the opportunity to connect with other artists, gain exposure for their work, and receive recognition for their talents.
“I think the main thing is there’s a lot of younger artists in the Madison area that don’t often have a venue to share their work and this will be a great opportunity to do so during Hispanic Heritage Month,” Oscar Mireles, the founder of LOUD, tells Madison365. “It’s also a way for us to discover new talent. And when you’re at that age, it’s a little hard to find a venue to showcase your work so we want to provide an opportunity for both high school and college students to share their work.”
Hispanic Heritage Month, the annual celebration of Hispanic culture, history, and contributions, runs from Sept. 15-Oct. 15, and LOUD, Mireles says, is committed to highlighting the creativity and diversity of Latinx artists during this important time.
Being featured in the LOUD Gallery for a month is not only about exposure, but about making connections with others in the art world and in the greater community.
“For many artists, I think there’s a transition period between having a hobby or having an interest, and then kind of putting it out there for the world,” Mireles explains. “So I think this will be a chance for them to get featured in their first exhibition and it may jumpstart other things.
“Once other people take an interest in your art, it kind of motivates you to do more,” Mireles adds. “A big part of being an artist is making those connections, especially initially.”
Art can be submitted to LOUD until Sept. 5. Students are invited to submit their original artwork in any medium, including paintings, drawings, photography, and digital art by clicking here. The opening reception for Hispanic Heritage Month will take place Friday, Sept. 20, 6-8 p.m. at the LOUD Gallery.
“It can be hard to be an artist and part of it is making connections, and part of it is just the people seeing your beautiful art. And this open call for Latinx artists for a gallery showing will help with both,” Mireles says.
Selected artwork will be featured in a special display at the LOUD Gallery at Omega School and a virtual showcase during Hispanic Heritage Month. The theme for this year’s exhibition is “Celebrating Our Roots” and submissions should reflect the rich cultural heritage of the Latinx community.
“People can submit many different types of arts … whatever people are doing whether it’s painting or a sculpture or photography, we really kind of want to leave it open,” Mireles says.
“We are excited to see the creativity and passion that Latinx students bring to their artwork,” Mireles adds. “This is a chance for them to express themselves, celebrate their culture, and inspire others through their art.”
For media inquiries or more information about LOUD, contact Oscar Mireles at 608-695-2474 or [email protected].
